Karasu-chan
by XxMeWxX4444
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto is a menace. A general pain to his ANBU guard, the honorary grandson of the Sandaime, the demon-brat of Konohagakure, Naruto is known by many people in many different ways. Uchiha Itachi knows him as the hyper blond Jinchuriki that he was assigned to protect during his first days as ANBU - and Itachi was always a protective ninja. - UchihaMassacreAU, Rookie9changes
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Uchiha Itachi is a prodigy.

Rising to the rank of ANBU Captain by the time he was thirteen, Itachi has handed situations that would leave lesser ninja stuck in a traumatized state for the rest of their lives. Taking note of these facts, it wasn't a surprise that the teen was a pacifist.

Itachi loves his otouto though, so he strives to make the world as safe as he is able. It was the reason he took the assassination mission with the target registered as his own father. Konohagakure would not survive as one of the Five Great Nations if they dissolved into a civil war. The coup d'état was eradicated in its forming stages. When Itachi was sworn in as the next clan leader, he made the most satisfying and controversial decisions of his young life – he eradicated the patriarchal system the Uchiha had established and gave the headship to his mother.

Since then, life in the village was _better_. It was peaceful, the Uchiha were less secretive, less suspicious. Itachi's home life wasn't filled with stiff formalities and strict behavior expectations. Sasuke was experiencing the childhood Itachi never had.

It left the eighteen year old happy, if slightly envious.

Pulling him away from his thoughts, Itachi glanced up curiously at the sound of a familiar shout. Speeding over the rooftops was the number one prankster of Konohagakure, Uzumaki Naruto. A squad of ANBU was on his tail and Itachi chuckled in amusement when he noticed it was his own team that was giving chase.

As Naruto drew near to Itachi's resting spot, the dark-haired team darted up and caught the rambunctious boy with the finesse of any older sibling. Naruto struggled for several moments before annoyed cerulean eyes darted up towards Itachi's face. The struggling was immediately cut off as Naruto grinned widely, his arms wrapping around Itachi's neck tightly.

"Karasu-chan!"

Ignoring the snickering of his squad mates, Itachi peered down at Naruto curiously. "I'm not a female, Naruto-kun."

"How would I know that, Karasu-chan?" Naruto enquired curiously, still snuggling against Itachi's lean frame. "Your hair's long and pretty like Sakura-chan's and you could be using a genjutsu on your voice."

"I don't have breasts."

Itachi's monotone voice cut through his team's giggling as they watched the exchange more intently, wondering at Naruto's response. The blond turned towards the only female of their squad, observing the incline of her armor before turning back to Itachi's own chest plate and studying it.

"Then you're flat like Sakura-chan." Nodding decisively, Naruto once again tightened his arms and rubbed his whiskered cheeks against Itachi's pale neck.

The eighteen year old could only sigh as his team once again dissolved into giggles. This had started years ago, when Itachi's first ANBU assignment was to watch over the blond Jinchūriki. He had immediately stuck to Itachi's side, initially accepting the fact that Itachi just kept his hair long and that he was actually male. As the years passed, Naruto's curious nature came into play again and again as he tried to see what Itachi actually looked like beneath the mask. His recent attempts – which had been going on for several months now – were to annoy Itachi by claiming he was female.

It wasn't working, but Itachi would allow the twelve year old to try.

"I believe you have a limpet, Karasu-kun."

Itachi glanced up at the smooth voice, smirking at the sight of Hatake Kakashi covered in dripping hot pink paint. The Jonin was his former ANBU Captain, and apparently the victim of one of Naruto's most current pranks.

"Oh _shit_." Naruto murmured against his neck and Itachi blinked at the feel of the blond's lips against his neck, wondering when that had happened. Ignoring it, Itachi turned to regard the falsely cheerful man.

"Is there something you need, Kakashi-senpai?"

"Just the blond clinging to you, if it wouldn't be a bother."

Itachi shrugged nonchalantly, loosening his arms from where they had been wrapped around Naruto's waist. The blond had locked his legs around Itachi's own waist, resembling a chimp. Naruto, however, took the opportunity to Kawarimi with a bucket from the road the building they were standing on was next to. There was a call of 'bye, Karasu-chan!' before an orange blur darted through the crowd.

"Damn." Kakashi sighed before disappearing in a Shunshin.

Turning to glance at his chuckling teammates, Itachi tilted his head to the side for a moment before speaking. "Wasn't it time for training?"

The three ANBU were instantly silenced, a nervous air permeating the rooftop. Itachi let a slightly sadistic smile to appear underneath his crow mask before he motioned for the three to move. "To the training grounds, then."

Meanwhile, Naruto was dodging around civilians, ignoring their indignant yells. Turning back with a scowl, Naruto stuck his tongue out at the pursuing Jonin. "Go to hell, Kaka-baka!"

"You're paying me back for my Icha Icha!" Kakashi responded, only to be ignored as Naruto cut down another alley.

* * *

Itachi let out a long sigh as he saw the painted state of the Hokage Mountain. Naruto, most likely. Turning to glance at his otouto, Itachi raised an eyebrow at Sasuke's expression of contempt as he looked at the rock face.

"Otouto?"

"The dobe did another stupid prank." The preteen muttered in annoyance, dark eyes flickering between the painted symbols and words decorating the Hokage's faces.

"Yes, Naruto is rather…ingenious in his pranks."

"They're stupid."

"His ability to pull them off is rather impressive." Itachi observed, his head tilted to the side in thought – much like a curious kitten.

"Itachi-nii?"

Looking down, Itachi caught sight of his brother's confused expression. Chuckling lightly, Itachi tapped the boy's forehead with two fingers while letting a gentle smile flit across his features. "Nothing, otouto. Are you ready for your graduation?"

"Hn. It'll be next Friday. You'll be there, right?"

"Of course, otouto."

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was scared.

Letting out a stream of curses, the blond darted through the alleys of Konohagakure's Red Light District.

He had gone home after training for three hours after the Academy. The graduation exam was tomorrow, but he _still_ couldn't do the Bunshin Jutsu. Disappointed, he had headed home to sulk and indulge in some ramen. Unfortunately, when he got near the building he found that it was once again vandalized. It wasn't uncommon for villagers to come into his apartment building and to start destroying things. He was the only resident, after all, so only he would be affected.

What was worse though was the fact that when Naruto had opened his slightly ajar door in preparation for cleaning and saving any salvageable items, the culprit was still there. It was a burly man with two of his friends, both shorter but equal in weight. The leader had a nasty sneer on his features and it wasn't long before the trio was chasing the blond through the building, yelling about demons and ungrateful brats.

So Naruto was scared, and he continued to run. He took alley after alley, knowing every path throughout the village. It wasn't long until he was able to shake his followers off, but by then he realized his mistake. He had headed towards the market district. The market district where all of the upper class shopped. At least, the middle class if Naruto could remember correctly. It was still upper class compared to him and the blond gulped at the thought of any of the merchants seeing him.

Striving not to be pursued _again_, Naruto slipped into the shadows of the alley, cerulean eyes peering around warily.

"What are you doing?"

Naruto flinched, his head snapping around to peer at the dark haired man who had noticed him. He was several inches taller than Naruto, which wasn't surprising considering the fact that Naruto was underfed at best or running solely on ramen seeing as it was cheap. He was a Uchiha, that much was obvious given the clan marking on his black, high collared shirt. Darting his eyes around warily instead of meeting the man's gaze – it would be a stupid mistake to, after all – Naruto struggled for an answer. "Um, nothing. I'm just leaving. I didn't even mean to be here, I got lost. Sorry Uchiha-san, sorry."

Naruto was edging backwards, away from the entrance to the alley and deeper into the shadows. He paused at a sudden, familiar voice and narrowed his eyes.

"Itachi-nii! What are you staring at?"

Uchiha Sasuke, Naruto's sworn rival and the Top Rookie of his Academy class appeared at the man's elbow. Cerulean eyes narrowing in anger, Naruto didn't notice Itachi's curious expression before he turned to answer Sasuke. "Otouto, weren't you with kaa-san?"

Seeing his chance, Naruto slipped away, quickly moving from shadow to shadow despite his bright orange jumpsuit. Naruto embodied stealth when he needed to – he'd be murdered during the Kyūbi Festival every year otherwise.

When Itachi turned his head back to stare at the place Naruto had been occupying, he was only mildly surprised to find it empty. He knew Naruto could be sneaky. What was surprising was the fact that Itachi had been _focusing_ on the Jinchūriki, so it should have been next to impossible for the blond to sneak away. He had, however, and now Itachi was left to wonder just why Naruto was around this district anyway. Itachi knew all the merchants here refused the blond service so why…?

"Sasuke, go back to kaa-san, I have to check on something."

"But aniki!"

"Sasuke."

The twelve year old departed with a pout and Itachi let out an exasperated sigh before stepping into the alley. When he was away from the main sight of the shopping district he took to the rooftops, following after Naruto's chakra signature. It was strangely depleted, making Itachi wonder whether or not the blond knew how to mask his chakra yet. When he came upon the Jinchūriki, Naruto was muttering to himself as he sifted through a dumpster. Raising an eyebrow, the Uchiha heir moved chakra to his ear drums to enhance his hearing and listened in.

"…damn villagers, what the fuck did I ever do…need to get new stuff, do I have any money? No, I paid Ichiraku two days ago…need to talk to Iruka-sensei and get some free ramen…maybe if I paint the monument again? No, that was a sendoff, a promise, dattebayo! Can't do it again so…"

Itachi was amused, but also worried. Why was Naruto picking through the dumpster?

His internal question was answer when Naruto held up a molded piece of bread in success. Humming triumphantly, the blond shimmied out of the dumpster and back onto the ground. Itachi's stomach rolled at the thought of what Naruto would do. He wouldn't seriously…would he?

The answer came when Naruto opened his mouth, ready to take a bite of the disgusting loaf when Itachi snatched the spoiled item away from his grasp. Tossing it back in the direction of the dumpster, Itachi frowned down at the blond in amazement and horror. Naruto was hungry enough to eat that. It was _black_ in certain spots, clearly covered in mold, and Naruto _was going to eat it_.

"Hey! What the hell, dattebayo?" Naruto glared up into his eyes angrily before biting back a gasp and hurriedly glancing down towards his collarbone. "Why are you following me, stalker?"

"You were going to eat that. You were _actually_ going to eat that." Itachi may be a seasoned ninja. He may be the prodigy of the Uchiha clan. He may have eaten slightly expired food.

Uchiha Itachi had never felt so disgusted by an act of eating in his life.

"So? I've done it before." Naruto shrugged nonchalantly, as if it were _normal_ to eat blackened bread. Not burnt bread, but blackened by _mold_ bread.

"You've…" Itachi could feel bile in the back of his throat. Swallowing thickly, Itachi shook his head. "No, come with me, we're getting _actual _food."

Naruto jumped away as Itachi reached out, causing the Uchiha heir to frown in confusion. Naruto never jumped away from him. Or, rather, he never jumped away from _Karasu_.

"Naruto…" Itachi sighed.

Narrowing his eyes once again, Naruto looked up at the strange Uchiha in irritation and guarded suspicion. "Just leave me alone, dattebayo. I don't feel like fighting off any poison again."

Itachi scowled at the memory from a few months ago. One of the food booths had snuck arsenic into Naruto's burger. Naruto had been fine after a night of vomiting and fever, while the perpetrator had been brought to Morino Ibiki in the Interrogation unit.

Itachi wondered how to convince the boy that he wasn't going to poison him. He didn't want Naruto to go back and rummage for more expired food. He could always invite him to dinner, but after his reaction to Sasuke…

Letting out a faint huff of annoyance, the mild-mannered Itachi rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation. His mother and Sasuke already knew about his ANBU persona. Naruto already had information on several ANBU and who they actually were, Kakashi as a prime example. Deciding that it wouldn't be too harmful – the boy had been trying to find out Itachi's identity for months and the Sandaime had only appeared amused – Itachi decided he would just divulge his identity.

"I'm surprised you haven't recognized me, Naruto."

"Why the hell would I recognize _you_? I've never seen you before in my—what?" Naruto had been taking discreet whiffs of Itachi's scent when the match for that unique scent entered his mind. Frowning in confusion, Naruto took a larger sniff, his frown melting into an expression of shock and mischievous glee.

"Karasu-chan!" Naruto cooed out each syllable, much to Itachi's increasing exasperation.

The blond had divulged precaution in the face of curiosity as he intently studied Itachi's features. From the deadpan expression to the defined tear troughs that marred Itachi's cheeks. The fact that his eyelashes were rather feminine along with most of his features. He looked aristocratic, as much of the Uchiha did, but _more_. He was taller than the blond, as Naruto had already observed and sulked about. It was odd to see him in casual clothing though, seeing as Naruto had only witnessed the man wear his ANBU uniform. Black pants, standard black ninja shoes, a black v-neck with a fishnet shirt underneath, and weapon holsters around his right thigh. In all honesty, he looked good. Familiar though, almost like…

_"__Itachi-nii! What are you staring at?"_

Naruto's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "You're Sasuke-teme's brother!"

Itachi rose an eyebrow at the finger Naruto had poking into the center of his chest. Looking into the Jinchūriki's eye, Itachi nodded his head. "So I am."

"_How_—but you're—and he's—you can't be—"

"I am…?" Itachi let a curious look drift onto his features and Naruto blushed, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Hehe…I mean, you're…you're Karasu! You're badass, you're awesome, and—and Sasuke-teme, he's such an arrogant little shit but _you_…" Naruto cut himself off as he realized what he was saying and slapped his hands over his mouth in horror. "Shit, sorry, no, he's your brother so—fuck."

"And here I thought Neko had washed your mouth out with soap years ago." Itachi observed in amusement.

"Karasu-chan, now is _not_ a moment for your sense of humor." Naruto snapped quickly before gulping in realization. "Shit if you're Sasuke's brother then…then you're Uchiha Itachi and you—the Uchiha clan and the shit storm you had Jiji deal with because you eradicated the Uchiha's traditions and—holy _shit_ you're awesome Karasu-chan!"

Itachi was slightly disconcerted by the gleam in Naruto's eyes. It was similar to when he discovered a particularly evil prank he could accomplish. Then his words register and Itachi couldn't stop the snort that sneaked through his usual composed demeanor. "I didn't mean to cause such uproar with my actions."

"That makes it even _better_, dattebayo! Indirect pranking! Kicking old asses and making history!" Naruto was pacing back and forth in an excited manner before pausing, his eyes narrowed in thought before a foxlike smirk crossed his features.

"Karasu-chan, why were you so panicked about the bread?"

Disgust immediately crossed Itachi's features and Naruto blinked in surprise for a moment before he snorted, slowly morphing into gut-wrenching laughter.

Itachi wasn't amused, as evident by his deadpan glare. "You shouldn't eat _anything_ that looks like that. Do you know how sick you'll get?"

"Nah, I've eaten worse than that. Like this one time I found some pork outside the butchers and it was kinda green but it tasted fine, I swear. The dirt was kind of disgusting but after I washed it off it was fine." Rolling his eyes, Naruto peered up at Itachi curiously only to snicker at the sick look the elder had.

"How—why…" Itachi knew the answer. He didn't _like_ the answer, nor did he particularly like the fact that Naruto treated and intake of rotten food as normal.

Growling silently, Itachi decided that both Sasuke and Naruto would have to deal. Grabbing the blond by both shoulders, Itachi leaned down until they were nose to nose. "You're eating at my house tonight. No buts, no arguments. Got it?"

Scrunching up his nose, the bewhiskered boy whined. "But don't you live with the teme?"

"Yes."

"_Karasu-chan_!"

Itachi ignored Naruto, rising to his full height and steering him in the direction of the Uchiha district. Naruto complained about Sasuke for several minutes before falling silent as his eyes darted around. Itachi now had a light hold on his wrist, ensuring that the boy wouldn't bolt.

Naruto was more focused on his surroundings, though. He was steadily growing nervous the farther east that they went. The eastern sections of the village were the better off. They had money, they had the clan districts, they had roads that weren't littered with trash or drunken forms. Naruto had lived in the western section for all his life and he only passively knew the ins and outs of the easterner's lives. He knew how to avoid and sneak and disappear here. He didn't know how to walk down the street like it was _normal_ to be dragged here unless he was in trouble. That was when the Konoha Military Police actually caught him though, and that wasn't a common occurrence.

"Hey, Itachi-chan," Naruto knew better than to call an ANBU by their codename in a populated place, "you really don't have to do this. I'll just go back home and—and…"

"No." Itachi could feel his eye twitch at the variation of his name, but he was thankful Naruto hadn't mentioned his ANBU name. They were already attracting attention considering he was the Uchiha heir and Naruto was the village pariah.

Naruto remained silent from then on, but Itachi could hear the steady stream of near-silent curses filtering from the blond's mouth. It was surprising how many words the preteen knew, and Itachi could only dread the thought that Sasuke knew them as well. Then again, Naruto's life was strikingly different compared to Sasuke's. Naruto knew how to evade ANBU capture, Naruto knew how to survive on the streets and live relatively harm-free within the Red Light District. Sasuke knew how to be a clan heir, Sasuke knew how to do several Uchiha Katon jutsu. Sasuke knew how to be a model student that didn't cause problems. Naruto knew how to draw attention and scrape by in the Academy.

"We're here." Itachi announced as he tugged Naruto through the gate on the left of the path. Cerulean eyes bugged out at the sight of the clan head's manor before sending a cautious glance towards the older man.

"Itachi-chan…"

"Itachi-nii!"

Naruto flinched, drifting behind Itachi with his head bowed and his fists clenched. Itachi was curious by that reaction and he glanced down to see Naruto's nails indenting the flesh of his palm. Letting his hand slide from the boy's wrist to his fist, Itachi loosened the grip before the blond started drawing blood. Turning his attention to Sasuke, Itachi didn't see the widened eyes staring at the back of his head, or the way that Naruto had to forcefully tear his gaze away to stare at Sasuke with annoyance.

Sasuke had drawn to a stop on the porch of the large house, his feet bare and his features displaying actual shock. "Itachi-nii, why the hell is the dobe with you?"

"Teme." Naruto growled darkly, eyes narrowed to slits and teeth bared in a silent snarl. Sasuke's eyes darted to his for a moment before a flash of arrogant contempt crossed his features. Turning back to his older brother, Sasuke raised a curious eyebrow.

Itachi was watching the exchange curiously, wondering how his next sentence would pan out. "He's staying for dinner."

"What?" Sasuke questioned while Naruto tugged futilely in his grasp once again. Itachi ignored the blond's struggle, his hand once again clenched firmly around his wrist.

"Where's kaa-san?"

"Itachi? Are you home? What happened?" A pretty woman opened the front door of the house and Naruto blinked for several moments at the striking similarities between her and her sons. He ignored it after a moment, just as he ignored the fleeting memories of the woman giving him a cookie whenever he was waiting in the KMPF's cell until his ANBU guard or the Hokage showed up.

"Would you mind if Naruto-kun had dinner with us?" Itachi questioned, tilting his head in the direction of the blond.

Naruto was scowling up at the Uchiha, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. An idea forming in his mind, Naruto turned to Itachi and Sasuke-teme's mother and bowed formally as he tugged futilely against Itachi's grip. "I would hate to intrude, Uchiha-sama. If you would have your son release me, I can leave immediately."

Sasuke nodded in agreement, turning beseechingly towards his mother and ignoring his shock at _Naruto_ of all people displaying manners.

Uchiha Mikoto, head of the Uchiha family, was staring at her elder son though and ignored the pleading look Sasuke was sending her. They were silently speaking in a collection of subtle facial changes. After a few seconds Mikoto smiled beautifully down at the blond Jinchūriki. "It's no bother, Naruto-kun. I'm Mikoto and I'm always honored to dine with one of my son's friends."

She ignored the indignant squawk from Sasuke, the pleased silence of Itachi, and the muttered 'captive, not friend, dattebayo' from Naruto. Heading back inside and approaching the kitchen, Mikoto began fixing dinner for four. Pushing aside the memories of the last time she had done such a thing, Mikoto pulled out some rice and set to work.

Meanwhile, Naruto was gaping up at Itachi much like Sasuke was. Pulling himself together, Naruto let out a long hiss of breath. "_Karasu_."

Amused at the fuming blond, Itachi patted his head comfortably before looking at his brother. "Careful, otouto. Don't want to catch flies, do you?"

With a click, Sasuke shut his mouth and huffed out a short 'Hn' before disappearing into the house. When the door slide shut with a _click_, Itachi suddenly had a handful of annoyed Jinchūriki.

"What the hell, Karasu?"

Blinking slowly, Itachi shifted his gaze from the darkening sky that suddenly filled his gaze to look at where Naruto had a grip of his shirt, his short form balanced over his stomach. Cerulean eyes were narrowed and sparkling in annoyance, a drastic change from the bright sparkle they held a weak ago when he last had the blond this close.

Lifting a curious eyebrow, Itachi let a small smile appear on his lips. "What do you mean, Naruto-kun?"

Itachi chuckled quietly at the annoyed growl Naruto let out. A situation like this had only happened once before, when he had a more frequent rotation as Naruto's guard. He had banned the boy from ramen for a week before the boy had snapped and attacked him. Itachi had then conceded and let the boy devour at least twenty large bowls of Ichiraku ramen before trying to give the boy a balanced diet. It hadn't lasted for long, considering that was when he was issued to assassination order for his father. It had taken two years for the whole fiasco to settle down and now Itachi was just another normal ANBU Captain. Mostly, anyway.

Thinking for a moment, Itachi composed his features before peering up at the blond flatly. "Why were you scavenging in the dumpster, Naruto?"

The blond stared for several seconds before releasing his hold on Itachi's shirt, sitting back. He seemed oblivious to the fact that he was sitting on Uchiha Itachi's well-muscled stomach, as well as the fact that any number of Itachi's fan club would kill to be in a similar position. Scratching the back of his head nervously, Naruto pursed his lips and let out a jumbled mess of a sentence.

"Hn?"

"I said my apartment got trashed again, dammit." Naruto growled.

Eyes narrowing, Itachi adopted a serious air seamlessly. "And where exactly was your ANBU guard?"

"Dunno, they haven't really been around recently." Naruto shrugged easily, not really caring if the four were around. The Captain of that squad was an asshole, and Naruto would rather they stayed away.

Itachi was annoyed. Taking mental note to speak to the Hokage about changing Naruto's protection detail, Itachi noticed Naruto's dejected look and let out a sigh. "You were chased again?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna get the bastards back, though. Believe it."

Itachi didn't doubt him. He did however doubt his safety tonight. Thinking it over for a few seconds, Itachi decided he would ask his mother during dinner. Naruto wouldn't leave in the middle of eating, his stomach wouldn't allow it. Dismissing his thoughts, Itachi wondered what to speak of with the blond. He had a few questions, so that was probably the best place to start.

"So, why are you and otouto so hostile?"

"Sasuke-teme is a douche and I don't understand how you two are related." Naruto declared hotly, lips pursed in a pout and arms crossed defiantly.

"Yes, because that explains everything."

Naruto stuck out his tongue teasingly before frowning in thought and shifting to get comfortable. Itachi didn't know how he had still failed to realize their position, but he had a suspicion it was both due to his obliviousness and Itachi's own nonchalance. The boy was twelve after all, what could happen?

"I guess I started it. Sasuke-teme is always good at the things we learn at the Academy. They call him a prodigy but I _know_ he isn't because I know when Kaka-baka graduated and that he became a Jonin by the time he was thirteen. If I remember right, you even became an ANBU Captain at thirteen. Meaning that Sasuke-teme needs to take the stick out of his ass 'cause he ain't that great. He has Ino and Sakura-chan falling all over him though along with the rest of his _fan club_." Naruto looked disgusted at the mere thought and Itachi could share the sentiment.

"Is that all? He's too arrogant?"

"And a jerk. He picks fight with me, dammit! Then when he beats me he acts all smug but I bet you if I could use my Sexy Jutsu without Iruka-sensei killing me then I would kick teme's _ass_."

"I'll bet. Did you ever finish the Bunshin jutsu?"

A scowl instantly appeared on Naruto's face, erasing the broad grin that had previously been featured. "No. They always end up looking like mush."

Frowning at the comparison, Itachi pushed himself up without thinking, causing the blond to fall into his lap with a yelp. Blinking, Itachi stared down at the Jinchūriki nestled between his crossed legs for a few seconds. Naruto abruptly bounced away, his face aflame while Itachi watched him observantly for a few seconds before speaking. "Do the jutsu for me."

"Huh?"

"The Bunshin. Do it." Itachi's Sharingan flickered to life and Naruto lit up at the thought of getting some help. Iruka tried to help but he just got exasperated most of the time and then one of his classmates would grab the Chunin's attention.

Running through the handsigns with concentration, Naruto gathered the blue stuff like Iruka-sensei told him to do. With a cry of 'Bunshin Jutsu!' there was a puff of smoke on either side of him before two copies of him wavered where they stood before falling to the ground with a wet _plop_.

Wincing in embarrassment, Naruto looked up at Itachi sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Um, so, yeah."

"I think I know what your problem is." Itachi stated as he pushed himself to his feet.

Blinking in surprise, Naruto bounced in place excitedly. "Really? What is it? What, what, what?"

"You're putting too much chakra into the jutsu."

Itachi watched in surprise as Naruto's face morphed into one of incomprehension. "Chakra?"

"Chakra…the energy that allows jutsu to work." Itachi tried explaining simplistically.

"Oh, the blue stuff! I'm putting too much in the jutsu?" Naruto tilted his head in though before shrugging. "I just put the normal amount."

If by normal amount he meant enough chakra to fuel three Suiton: Suiryūdan Jutsu, then Itachi wasn't impressed. How much chakra was the boy actively wasting?

Letting out a slow breath, Itachi focused on the blond intently. "Naruto, do you have any chakra control?"

"Chakra control? What's that?"

Withholding a groan, Itachi rubbed the bridge of his nose for a few seconds before sighing. "How many times do you actually pay attention in class?"

"Whenever Iruka-sensei talks about the Hokage or jutsu, dattebayo. When he starts writing the squiggles on the board I start zoning out though."

"…squiggles?"

"Ya know, like this one. He always has it up." Naruto squatted down in the dirt beside the walkway, quickly copying down the kanji for 'shinobi'.

Itachi blinked for a few moments before releasing a slow breath that was both anger and incredulousness. The boy didn't even know how to properly _read_?

"You can write your name can't you?"

"Oh yeah, that's easy. See?" Naruto once again drew in the dirt, sloppily writing down the characters for his own name. Itachi regarded the Jinchūriki for a several second before deciding to just ask.

"Naruto-kun, did anyone teach you how to write properly?"

"Nope. I had to copy everyone around me, but a lot of it's difficult."

The 'what can you do?' shrug that followed that statement put Itachi's teeth on edge. Uncharacteristically violent thoughts were filtering through the prodigy's mind before he took a calmly breath and tried to rationalize what he could do. There were many options, though Itachi disregarded most of them. Those that were left were either time consuming or unreliable. He could simply report this information to whoever is assigned as Naruto's Jonin-sensei after graduation, or he could correct the problem himself.

In all honesty, Itachi's faith in his fellow ninja was at an all time low in regards to the blond. He would be most comfortable personally teaching Naruto, but that could bring up several problems. First, he'd have to retire from ANBU – at least for a few months – and join the regular Jonin forces. Second, he'd have to deal with the disapproval of most of his clan members. Kaa-san would most likely support him, as she had little prejudice against the Jinchūriki – as evident by her casual acceptance of him joining them for dinner.

Most importantly though would be convincing the Hokage to approve Naruto's apprenticeship. Knowing the old man, Itachi had a high chance of being saddled with an actual squad in return for the favor. However, there was a chance of succeeding without the added presence of two other Genin. Naruto was far, _far_ behind – highly likely to sabotage towards his education – and that would take time to rectify.

Peering down at the blue-eyed boy who was looking up at him proudly for his limited knowledge, Itachi knew that he was trapped. Letting out a silent sigh, Itachi crouched by Naruto's side and smudged the kanji he had drawn. Beginning his instruction, Itachi absently noted the completely focused expression of the blond. It seemed that Naruto would actually pay attention to someone who both had his respect and treated him like a normal citizen of Konohagakure.

It further cemented Itachi's decision to become Naruto's Jonin-sensei, even if that meant interfering with Kakashi-senpai's well-known plans.

* * *

**Translations**

**Suiton: Suiryūdan Jutsu** – Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu

**Konoha Military Police Force (KMPF)**

* * *

**Author's Note**

I realize I'm horrible at updating things. It's just my procrastinating nature coming into play and interfering with things I actually _enjoy_. In the mean time, this will either be a multi-chapter story or it could even be considered as a one-shot. I don't know at this point. I just got inspired by a bunch of ItaNaru fluff and _this_ was produced. There's hints of ItaNaru that could develop into something when our favorite blond is older, or it could just be an Itachi mentor fic. Honestly, my bets on the latter, but I suck at romance so who knows?

Anywho, we'll see where this goes. It's 2AM and I got school in the morning (thirty-seven days left and then I'm _free_. Senior year, lovelies, woot.)

_~Mew_

Also, I take no credit to the making of Naruto (it's all Kishimoto's) nor do I take credit for the cover photo.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"_Whoa_." Naruto muttered, eyes widening as he stepped into the dining room after Itachi. They had left their shoes at the entrance just a few moments ago, ushered into the house after Mikoto-san's announcement that the food was ready.

Glancing over his shoulder, Itachi was both amused and saddened by the awed look in the blond's eyes. On one hand, his reaction was humorous. On the other, it was depressing seeing as it meant he was wholly unfamiliar with such a meal. Whereas Itachi found it to be the norm, causing the dark-haired man to feel more grateful than he normally would towards his mother.

"It looks wonderful as always, kaa-san."

"Thank you, Itachi-kun. Now you two come on, sit, sit."

Naruto eagerly listened to the elder woman, taking a seat to Itachi's left directly across from Mikoto. Sasuke was sitting next to her in his standardized brooding state but Naruto shoved that out of his mind at the sight of the feast laid out on the table. How the wonderful woman (because only someone who was awesome could make _this_) had made everything in only an hour, Naruto didn't know.

After exchanging the standard words, the foursome tucked in heartedly. Naruto attempted to pace himself, trying to deploy the manners that Neko had once taught him. The purple-haired ANBU had taken it upon herself to teach him basic etiquette, but that had been years ago. She had been reassigned, unfortunately, and Naruto only saw her every now and again. Much like Itachi, actually.

The meal was relatively quiet for a good ten minutes before Itachi spoke up, instantly gaining the attention of the room. "Kaa-san?"

"Yes dear?"

"Could Naruto have permission to stay the night tonight?"

"What?!" The elder Uchiha's ignored the outbursts of the Academy students. Naruto and Sasuke were exchanging bewildered glances, their rivalry placed aside at the current sight of Itachi's lunacy. What the _hell_ was the ANBU Captain thinking?

"Oh? Did something happen?"

"You could say that." There was an exchange of subtle expressions once again for a few moments before Mikoto looked away from her first born. After several seconds, Mikoto turned back and smiled beautifully.

"He's under your supervision, Itachi-kun." With that the two returned to their meals while the younger two continued to act their part of confused children. After a few seconds Naruto had had enough and finally burst out.

"What the f—freak just happened?" He cut himself off just in time, nervous at the sight of an older woman. Neko had relatively scarred him by her assault on his mouth by soap. Now he was nervous to speak rudely in front of any woman, regardless of their age. Well, unless they pissed him off.

"Your apartment is in poor condition at the moment, no? I see it as only right to allow you to rest here for the night." Itachi answered easily, causing Naruto's eyebrow to start twitching in annoyance and for Sasuke to gape at his elder brother. Itachi-nii was really allowing _Naruto_ of all people to sleep in their home. _Naruto_!

"Itachi-chan…" Naruto whined weakly, already accepting defeat. Itachi had a certain tone in his voice that was easily recognizable. It meant Naruto wasn't getting his way, no matter what the blond tried.

There was a delicate snort before Mikoto covered her face with her napkin, glancing between the two with sparkling dark eyes. "Itachi-_chan_?"

Itachi didn't react visibly while Naruto turned to the older woman and grinned smugly. "Yup! I've been trying to get under his shell for _years_ and this is my latest attempt. At least I finally know who he is under his mask now."

"Mask? You know about Itachi-nii being in ANBU?" Sasuke questioned in disbelief.

Letting out a huff of laughter, Naruto nodded. "'Course I do, Sasuke-teme. I've known Karasu-chan for years, dattebayo."

With those thought-shattering words, Naruto turned back to his meal – completely oblivious to his gaping rival. Itachi withheld an amused chuckle as he gazed between the two before meeting his mother's curious, and amused, gaze. Itachi gave a significant 'we'll speak later' look before returning to his meal.

* * *

The night spent out the Uchiha's was amazing for Naruto. After the absolutely_ amazing_ meal – which Naruto continued complimenting much to a blushing Mikoto's enjoyment – Naruto had been herded towards the bath by an insistent Itachi.

Naruto still believed that the older man was still disgusted by his dumpster diving.

He had been loaned some clothes to change into and he later discovered, much to his chagrin, that they had been the teme's. Sasuke was off sulking in his room, so he thankfully didn't see Naruto sporting the red and white symbol of the Uchiha on his back.

Itachi personally thought it was an amusing sight, especially when Naruto squawked at the realization of just whose clothes he was wearing. He had practically begged to burrow some of Itachi's, if only to not wear the same clothing as 'the teme', as he so boldly proclaimed. Itachi relatively ignored him though, seeing as it made more sense for Naruto to wear the better fitting clothing of his otouto.

When it came time to sleep, Itachi hit a slight snag. While traditional, the Uchiha clan more often than not invested in modern beds. This meant there wasn't an extra pallet for Naruto to bunk down on. With a resigned sigh, it was his idea after all, Itachi pulled the struggling blond into his own bed. Reaching up, the eighteen year old turned off his bedside lamp before adjusting himself under the sheets.

Naruto had been ridged, unable to relax at the fact that he was sleeping in the same bed as another. That Itachi had _willingly_ shared such a private place with him was startlingly. Naruto didn't know what to think, or what to do. He'd never slept with another before, in any sense of the term.

So the blond lay awake.

Naruto didn't know how much time passed, but he was guessing it was about an hour. His eyes were half-lidded in exhaustion and despite the confusion or apprehension he felt, Naruto eventually fell into a blissful state of unconsciousness.

As soon as he heard the transition into deeper breathing, Itachi's own eyes opened. He was an extremely light sleeper – as most seasoned ninja were – and every shift and grumble of the blond awoken him. Now, though, the blond was sleeping. This allowed Itachi to finally succumb to a deeper level of sleep, submitting to REM.

When morning came, Naruto was annoyed by the bright rays of sunshine seeking to burn his retinas. Why the room was so bright he didn't know. His own bedroom stayed perfectly dim, no matter what the time. This was mostly due to the dingy sheets he had hung over his windows, but Naruto was thankful for them. Especially right now, when he was otherwise blinded.

Or he would be, had he actually opened his eyes. Instead he buried his head deeper into his pillow, trying to hide from the sun despite his futile attempts.

On another spectrum, Itachi was having a hard time hiding his amusement. The blond wasn't a morning person, apparently. It was rather surprising, considering his sunny personality. Peering down at the blond who had, at some time in the night, snuggled up to his side, Itachi considered the results of properly waking him. One would be Naruto's embarrassed demeanor, and that was always an amusing sight. Two would have the added benefit of having the blond start off for the Academy, seeing as he had just about forty minutes until it started. Third, it also meant that Itachi could get a start on his own day.

He wasn't on active duty today, seeing as it was Thursday. His squad always took Thursdays off for a relaxation day. It was mostly for the purpose of avoiding a burnout, but Itachi was just thankful that it meant he didn't have to wake up at five AM and train with his rather boisterous teammates.

He was an introvert, thank you very much. He was perfectly fine in solitude, and putting him around many loud-mouthed people in the morning was ill-advised.

He needed to talk to the Hokage about becoming Naruto's sensei, though, so Itachi knew he would have to get up eventually.

His decision was made for him, however, as Naruto took that time to let out a loud groan. "Why the fuck is it so _bright_…?"

Itachi was amused, and it was hard to hide the suppressed chuckles when the subject for such laughter was lying on top of you.

Naruto was confused. His blissfully warm and comfortable pillow was moving. That didn't make any sense, though, seeing as pillows _don't_ move. His sleep-addled brain was having a hard time processing the movement before he finally willed himself to pry open sleep-crusted cerulean orbs.

Everything was fuzzy for a few seconds before Naruto slowly flowed his pillow up, only to meet Itachi's amused gaze. Blinking slowly for several seconds, Naruto took a second to process this development. _Oh, so my pillow is Itachi. Okay._

He closed his eyes again, preparing to drift back into dreamland and ignore everything around him before his own thoughts caught up with him. Snapping open sharply, Naruto's eyes once again focused on the amused Uchiha.

Letting out a warbled screech of confusion and embarrassment, Naruto rolled over only to spasm for a second before he fell over the edge of the bed. Itachi couldn't help it, his chuckles broke through his mask and he felt a smirk crawl of his lips. Peering over the side of the bed, Itachi peered at the cocoon of blankets Naruto had somehow become wrapped up in, wondering how he had been able to tangle himself so thoroughly.

An accusing finger was suddenly pointed, almost colliding with Itachi's nose. Blinking languidly, Itachi's gaze went from the accusing finger to the pouting blond, a perfectly shaped eyebrow lifting in question.

Raising an eyebrow at Naruto's following mutters, Itachi gracefully rose from the bed, ignoring the bright sunlight that filtered into his room. Extending a hand to help Naruto to his feet, Itachi took note that the blond was amazingly short, not even reaching five feet by his estimates.

Predicting that it was due to his still poor diet, Itachi brushed that aside as he padded over to his closet. They had to get ready for the day. "Naruto-kun, I suggest you hurry. You'll be late otherwise."

"Fuck, but, Mikoto-san took my clothes to wash." Naruto whined after glancing hurriedly around the room. Peering back at the scowling blond, Itachi let out a long sigh before motioning for the blond to approach.

"Since you're so insistent not to where otouto's clothing, you can wear one of my shirts, okay?"

The blinding grin that was directed at his person almost caused Itachi to stare in surprise. He had better control of his emotions and facial expressions than most though, so he ignored the absolute sunshine the boy radiated. Picking one of his older, and slightly smaller, long-sleeve shirts, Itachi handed it over to Naruto and went about picking out his own clothing as the blond stripped.

"I'll hafta keep Sasuke's pants, won't I?" The pout was unmistakable, and Itachi forced himself to keep from rolling his eyes.

"Yes, Naruto-kun. You can get your jumpsuit back from kaa-san this afternoon."

Satisfied, Naruto went over to the desk where he had placed his weapon holsters. Strapping them onto his left leg on a whim, Naruto looked up when he heard a questioning, "Hn?"

"I thought you were right-handed."

"What's that mean?" Naruto tilted his head in confusion, only to watch in amusement as the dark-haired man rubbed at the bridge of his nose.

"You favor one of your hands more than the other. You can throw better with one."

"Oh, I suck either way, dattebayo. I switch legs every few days."

Eyes half-lidded, Itachi observed the blond intently. He was ambidextrous? That was beneficial for a shinobi. Even he, the famed Uchiha prodigy (as everyone called him), favored his right hand.

"That's actually a good thing. Keep doing it. I'm going to go talk to kaa-san, you know where the bathroom is." With that, Itachi departed towards the kitchen. He knew that his mother, despite being the Uchiha clan head, still prided herself in making both breakfast and dinner for her family.

When he entered he found his mother standing in front of the stove, delicious scents wafting throughout the rather high-tech room. Mikoto liked to spend money when it came to functional items, and kitchen appliances counted within those terms. "Kaa-san."

"Itachi, good morning. How are you feeling?" Mikoto hustled over to stand on her tip toes, her lips ghosting against his forehead before she returned to her creations.

"Fine. I wish to speak with you after otouto and Naruto-kun leave for the Academy."

There was an acknowledging nod before Itachi turned, heading towards the dining room. There was no point in asking to help, Mikoto liked to solitarily fix food as she found it relaxing. Thirty minutes later the food had been served and hastily consumed by the rushing Academy students. As they bustled off before they were late, Itachi distantly heard the beginnings of yet another argument between the two.

After a few moments Itachi's attention was grabbed by his curious mother. Letting out a sigh and knowing he had made this decision himself, Itachi warily began to speak. "Kaa-san, you know I am an efficient ANBU. However, due to recent discoveries, I feel the urge to retire to normal Jonin status."

Mikoto's dark eyes widened, staring at her rather stoic son in shock and confusion. Itachi had never been anything but complacent about his status as an ANBU Captain. He had been in the same position since he was thirteen, so what would cause the eighteen year old to suddenly change professions so suddenly?

Catching a flash of orange, Mikoto stared down at the assembled fruit bowl before a smile worked its way onto her lips. "It's because of Naruto-kun, isn't it?"

"Yes. I have reason to believe that his entire Academy education has been sabotaged."

The smile was instantly gone and Mikoto stared at her son seriously. That was a major claim, and they both knew it. "Explain."

Explain Itachi did, and after half an hour Mikoto was shuddering in repressed rage. The child of her _best friend_, Uzumaki Kushina, was so hated for his Jinchūriki status that his own _sensei_ were ruining his education? They were leading him to his death bed!

Letting out an uncharacteristic growl of anger, Mikoto stared deeply into the eyes of her mildly surprised son. "I'm guessing you wish to become his sensei so that you can destroy those _bastards'_ efforts?"

"Yes, kaa-san."

"Good. As the Uchiha clan head, I give you my full support. Go speak with Hokage-sama, please."

"Hai, kaa-san." Bowing, Itachi excused himself from the table, leaving his empty plate behind. He quickly slipped on his sandals at the door before exiting the home, taking to the roofs in an effort to decrease his travel time.

* * *

The sun had set only twenty minutes ago, but Naruto ignored the waking sounds of the forest creatures. It had been a week since he had stayed the night at the Uchiha's, and it was still the best that he could remember in several years. If he ignored the teme's presence throughout the experience than it was almost heavenly.

Time had passed however, and he had returned to his apartment the next night. The weekend and following week had progressed rather slowly, but Friday had finally dawned bright and cheerfully. It was still Friday, but several hours and events had passed since the morning. The graduation exam had been held today and, just like his previous two attempts, Naruto had _failed_.

"Bunshin my ass, this will be _so_ much better." With those sworn words, Naruto turned his full attention back towards the Forbidden Scroll. He had stolen it that afternoon after Mizuki-sensei had promised he would pass. While waiting for the white-haired man to appear, Naruto had decided to take a peek and use the limited reading skills that Itachi had bestowed upon him in their last week of study sessions.

He was now attempting to perform the Kage Bunshin Jutsu, which was a lot better than the weaker Bunshin clones. These were _tangible_, whatever that meant. Naruto was guessing it meant that they were solid, so he was trying hard to perfect the technique.

In the next hour, Naruto had been able to summon ten solid clones, much sturdier and definitely _not_ mush like his previous attempts at the jutsu. Lifting a fist into the air proudly, Naruto resisted screaming out in joy. He didn't want to attract attention, after all.

"Naruto? Naruto!"

His celebration was cut short at the sound of Iruka-sensei's voice. Dispelling his clones with a grin, Naruto got ready to perform the jutsu again so that the Chunin would _have_ to give him his own hitai-ate.

He wasn't prepared in the slightest for the following events that transpired. From Iruka-sensei's confusing words to Mizuki-sensei's betrayal. Worst of all was the revelation was that _he_, Uzumaki Naruto, was the Kyūbi. He was the destructive beast that had destroyed Konohagakure and killed thousands in his rampage.

Everything seemed to be happening in fast-forward as events kept playing and increasing in revelation. The battered form of Iruka, Mizuki's Fuma shuriken speeding through the air, the _thousand_ Kage Bunshin that he somehow had the ability to summon.

By the time that both he and Iruka-sensei had been found by the deployed ANBU squad that had been attracted by the fluctuating chakra levels, Naruto barely had time to mumble a nervous 'hello' before he collapsed into Itachi's arms in a dead faint.

* * *

Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen stared down at the report sitting so innocently in front of him. It was the assignments for the next generation of Genin, and he was distressed to notice the fact that there was no room for Naruto. Twenty-eight strong, Iruka's class had been split into perfect squads of three seeing as Naruto had failed. He had now passed though, after his amazing display in the outskirts of Konoha.

Letting out an exasperated breath, the Sandaime wondered where he could place his honorary grandson. Hatake Kakashi had requested both the blond and Uchiha Sasuke, seeing as he was once again being pressured into the role of a sensei. Hiruzen had agreed to his request seeing as Naruto was the son of Kakashi's former mentor, the Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato. The Uchiha was easily explained, seeing as he was the closest cousin that Uchiha Obito had other than Itachi. Then again, all of those within the Uchiha clan were related. They were the closest by blood, though, and Hiruzen could see no issues in allowing the Jonin's request.

Now, though, he had a dilemma. Instead of Naruto, the second lowest ranking Genin had been placed in his stead. Uchiha Sasuke was the Top Rookie after all, and Haruno Sakura was the second highest kunoichi in her class, only outclassed by the Yamanaka heir by a few points. After Naruto had failed to pass the graduation exam, the second lowest scoring Genin had been placed with the two within Kakashi's team. Hibachi was a mediocre student from a civilian family, and Hiruzen internally despaired at the fact that he would most likely easily pass the second exam due to Sasuke and Sakura's smarts alone. Then again, Kakashi had _never_ passed a Genin team before, so there was a possibility all three would be sent back to the Academy.

This still left him with the fact that Naruto didn't have a Jonin-sensei.

A memory, repressed by the constant meetings in the past seven days, flashed through his mind and he let out a long sigh at the reminder. Itachi had requested for a meeting on last Thursday, with heart-breaking suspicions that he believed Naruto's entire education had been sabotaged. The fact that the blond couldn't even _read_ fluently had left Hiruzen in a near-apoplectic rage. He had promised the Uchiha prodigy that if Naruto passed, he would be assigned to him. This came with the consequences that Itachi would leave the ANBU force and become an active Jonin instead. Now that Naruto's late graduation had come to pass, Hiruzen realized with a proud smirk that he could keep that promise. What was better was that the council couldn't even _complain_ seeing as Itachi had both requested the Jinchūriki and there weren't even enough students to form another proper team. This meant Naruto could be registered as an apprentice, even if it was a rare title. The last that he could remember off-hand was Anko Mitarashi, or Shizune Kato. Ignoring the fact that both had mentors that were his former students, Hiruzen shuffled around in the avalanche of papers that cluttered his desk. When he finally found the form, he allowed a triumphant smile to spread across his wizened face.

He _knew_ Itachi, and he knew just how much dedication the boy could have. If all went well, Naruto could very well be the strongest of his generation. He could even triumph over the generations of the past, of that Hiruzen had no doubt.

* * *

"Okay class, settle down. Class. Class! CLASS!" Umino Iruka let out a semi-embarrassed cough in the resulting silence, ignoring the slight aching in his throat from yelling so loud. Dark eyes looked around the classroom, smiling slightly at the sight of Uzumaki Naruto who was proudly adjusting the hitai-ate that Iruka had given him three days ago. The rest of his students looked just as eager, leaning on the edge of their seats as Iruka began to speak.

"From this day forward, you are no longer Academy students. You are Genin. Proper ninja. From now on, you have a responsibility to not only your comrades but to the entire village. From this point on, you will face hardships. If you strive to succeed and improve, though, there is no predicting what sorts you will be able to overcome…" Iruka continued his speech, thrilled to be delivering it to his _entire_ class. He knew he would be seeing their faces again, but they would be transferred to another class if they failed the second graduation exam that their Jonin-sensei's deployed. It was the norm, but that didn't leave Iruka hoping that they would _all_ pass, no matter the odds against such an outcome.

By the time that his speech was finished, Iruka had stepped up to the edge of the platform that his desk and podium sat on. Looking around at their grinning faces once again, Iruka smirked and cleared his throat once again. "Now that you know all that...it's time to announce the teams."

Uzumaki Naruto had never paid attention in class for such an extended amount of time before. It was the most important lecture though. They had _graduated_. This would be the last lesson Iruka taught them as his students. He sat through the assignments of his classmates, ears straining for the sounds of his name being called. By Team Ten however, he was scowling in annoyance, wondering why he hadn't been called. He took a quick look around the classroom before realizing he was the only one that hadn't been called. He could already feel the smug glares and smirks and he repressed the urge to curl into himself. _Why hasn't Iruka-sensei called me?!_

"Uzumaki Naruto has been requested for an apprenticeship. Naruto, you are to go to Hokage-sama's office to meet your new sensei."

Cerulean eyes widened in sync with most of the class. There were a few exclamations of shock but Naruto was too busy quivering in success to care. Jumping up, Naruto let out a successful 'dattebayo!' before rushing down the steps to the front of the class. "Thanks Iruka-sensei, see ya!"

_Naruto-kun got an apprenticeship…? _Hyūga Hinata wondered in surprise, pale eyes watched the door that had been left open in Naruto's rush to leave. Smiling faintly, Hinata covered her mouth with her sleeve, internally cheerful for her former classmate and current crush. Turning to look over at her new teammates, she listened as Inuzuka Kiba complained to a silent Aburame Shino, whining about why _he_ wasn't assigned an apprenticeship.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Hinata prepared herself for the arrival of their sensei. She wanted to impress them, whoever they were.

Across the classroom another set of eyes had been watching the door. Brooding, Uchiha Sasuke wondered how the dobe had been able to rope in an apprenticeship. He wasn't anything special, so why had the dead-last been picked? _He_ should've been picked, dammit. He was the Top Rookie, he was better than all his classmates. So why was he ignored?

Ignoring the argument between his two new teammates, Sasuke continued glaring at the exit. Sakura and Hibachi barely noticed, considering the pink-haired girl had just engaged the latter with a quick punch to the head.

In the back of the classroom another mind was focused on the door. _This is so troublesome. _Nara Shikamaru thought in annoyance. Yamanaka Ino was on his left, talking at a rapid pace about how 'Forehead' Sakura was so lucky because she had been assigned to Sasuke's team. Why she didn't predict her placement, Shikamaru could only guess. Both their fathers and their clans were tight-knit and had been even before the founding of Konohagakure. It was a given that the clan heirs would be placed in a team together, just as their fathers had. The Ino-Shika-Cho formation was famous, and far from secret. Hell, they regularly practiced together in their formations at the insistence of their fathers.

Akimichi Choji, his best friend, was on his other side and already down to his fifth bag of the morning. After a few minutes Shikamaru snapped to attention as the rotund boy spoke.

"I wonder why Naruto got an apprenticeship?"

Shikamaru was also wondering. There were many situations that could call for such an occasion. It could be his late graduation, but it could have already been planned as well. Due to the unknown variables, Shikamaru could only sum up the situation in one, simple word. "Troublesome."

* * *

Uchiha Itachi adjusted his Jonin flak jacket once more. He hadn't worn the garment in years. He had actually had to trade in his old one for a replacement, since the previous had been suited to an Itachi that was stuck in his pre-teens. Now the normally black-clad ninja was sporting the hunter-green vest, adjusting the various pouches to and fro. Honestly, he was thinking of just divesting himself of the flak jacket entirely, but he had just received it. He would drop it off at home after his meeting.

Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled at the faint uncomfortable air Itachi was emitting. It wasn't surprising, considering the eighteen year old was most suited to the ANBU uniform. His retirement was enacted an hour ago, though, so he was now just a normal Jonin. A highly respected Jonin, but one nonetheless.

"Iruka informed me he would send Naruto-kun over after he assigns the teams. He wanted to make Naruto's apprenticeship sound rather important, I suppose."

"It would stop most rumors that he lied and hadn't actually graduated, at any rate." Itachi agreed.

Silence descended on the office once more as Itachi turned to peer out the window and Hiruzen returned to his paperwork. Approximately ten minutes later there was a scuffle outside of the office before the door flew open. A bundle of yellow and orange skidded to a stop in front of Hiruzen's desk, punctuated by a yell of, "Hi jiji!"

"Naruto…what have I told you about ignoring my secretaries?" Hiruzen asked in amusement, beginning to gather tobacco in his pipe. He had a feeling he would need a few puffs.

"She's annoying though, jiji. Anyway, I got an _apprenticeship_? How did that happen, dattebayo?" Naruto was once again a bundle of excited energy, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he sent a wide grin towards the elderly Hokage.

Chuckling, Hiruzen motioned towards Itachi's still form that was leaning against the windowsill. "Itachi-kun had requested you, actually."

"Karasu-chan!" Naruto chirped happily, grinning at the dark-haired teen before the Hokage's words registered, "Wait, _you_ requested it? Huh?"

Naruto was confused, and Hiruzen felt the obligation to explain. "Let me explain, Naruto-kun. An apprenticeship can be requested at any time by Jonin. If they find a student they believe they can essentially turn into their heir, they fill out various forms that make it official in the village's records. There is a certain amount of privacy between the two, a privacy that not even the council can intrude upon. Itachi may teach you his most secret, battle-ending jutsu and you have absolutely no responsibility to share it with anyone unless you yourself gain an apprentice. As such, not even the council can demand any information about your training schedule. Do you understand?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head, his face scrunched in faint confusion. "Pretty much...so this means that those toads in the council can't bother me anymore?"

"Exactly, Naruto-kun." Hiruzen announced happily. "This is as much a political move as a convenient one. Oh, Itachi had already requested to train you, but with the odd numbers of your Academy class, the council can say nothing about the fact that Itachi will only be teaching you. Do you remember Rock Lee? He was a year ahead of you in the Academy."

"Bushy brows? Yeah, what about him?"

Ignoring the nickname, Hiruzen took a quick hit off the pipe before continuing. "Rock Lee was observed by one of Konoha's Jonin, Maito Gai. Gai came to me to request an apprenticeship after he discovered the Lee could not use chakra. He has a disorder that leaves his chakra coils underdeveloped so he can't do anything more than the Tree Climbing or the Water Walking exercise, leaving him with only Taijutsu." When Hiruzen noticed that Naruto was quickly zoning out in the face of unknown words, the Sandaime hastened to his point.

"When Gai-san came to me for the registration papers, he also had the misfortunate that Lee's graduating class had exactly thirty individuals. This meant on top of receiving his apprentice, he also received two other Genin to create a complete team."

"So since we only had twenty-eight kids instead of twenty-nine or thirty, I don't have to share Karasu-chan with anyone?"

Hiruzen coughed slightly at Naruto's words, sending a sly look over to the silent teen. Itachi appeared unfazed and after a second the Sandaime turned back to the blond. "Essentially, yes."

"Yatta!" Naruto cheered, raising a fist into the air with a large grin. Turning to Itachi, Naruto adopted an eager expression as he asked, "When are we gonna start?"

Casting a glance at the Sandaime and receiving a dismissive nod, Itachi gazed at his new apprentice in consideration. After a few seconds of thought, the Uchiha smirked faintly. "Do you know where Training Ground 11 is?"

After receiving Naruto's confirming nod, Itachi glanced at the time. The Hokage had a clock hanging over the entrance to his office and Itachi found that they had ample time to get started.

"Now. Get to the training ground as quickly as you can." Letting out an excited yell, Naruto scrambled over to the open window beside Itachi, jumping out. Blinking slowly in surprise, Itachi turned to see that Naruto had jumped from the roof to an electric pole across the road and was speeding across the rooftops.

There was a deep chuckle from the Hokage and Itachi turned to see the elderly man looking at him in amusement. Holding out a small collection of papers, Hiruzen spoke. "Make sure he signs the important things and understands the information. I would have done it myself, but I have a meeting in a few minutes with the village council."

Allowing a grimace to cross his feature, Itachi tucked away the papers and offered a bow. "Good luck."

At Hiruzen's dismissive wave, the dark-haired teen disappeared in a swift Shunshin.

* * *

**Translations**

**Bunshin Jutsu** – Clone Jutsu  
**Kage Bunshin Jutsu** – Shadow Clone Jutsu  
**Shunshin Jutsu** – Body Flicker Jutsu

* * *

**Author's Note**

No one is more shocked than myself that I finished another chapter so quickly. This is a few hundred words shorter than the last one, but it's still over five thousand words. That's two thousand more than normal. Twenty pages in word, twenty-two for the first chapter. Wow it's been so long since I've been motivated. Hopefully (I don't want to jinx myself but) this trend will continue. I like Itachi - I have a wall scroll of him on my Arceus-damned wall, along with Sasori - and I like Naruto. Or, well, I like making fanfics that change Naruto completely but that still retains his mostly base character.

Then again I also like reading, as evident by the amount of fanfics on here I can plow through. Four ItaNaru fics and one GaaNaru in the past three days. Rather impressive, I'd say. Anyway, we'll see how soon the next chapter comes out. I've been writing this during my online class - mostly because I don't want to do work, but tis life. Soon, though, soon. Thirty-four days left.

_~Mew_


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